The next giant quake: It’s coming and here’s how

Falling bricks smashed cars at Second Ave. and Yesler Way during 1949’s magnitude 7.1 quake, which spurred seismic building codes. But nearly half the high-rises in Seattle, Portland and Vancouver were constructed before anyone knew the region is also subject to magnitude 9 megaquakes that can shake the ground for up to five minutes and amplify the swaying of tall buildings.